


Ghost of You

by Rivain, TheTechnicalSociopath



Series: The Chosen Ones [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-21
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-08-26 22:27:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16690096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivain/pseuds/Rivain, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTechnicalSociopath/pseuds/TheTechnicalSociopath
Summary: Translation of Elven stuff:May you learn (curse)the Dread wolf Guides you.I am sorry,now you must endure.Your death has come.Safe journey,you are free (I give you your freedom.)May The Dread wolf’s blessing guide you.I hope you find a new name.





	Ghost of You

**PROLOGUE**

    For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been different Strange. Peculiar even, but I’ve never really known why. All I’ve ever know is that I’ve never been like the other children my age. Well… not just children either, people in general. Even now as an adult I find myself getting puzzled looks from strangers and not so strangers alike.

    No one can seem to pinpoint just _what_ is different exactly. On one such occasion of perplexed stares, I asked Lynnette, my best friend, well… one of them, why people seemed to treat me with so much suspicion. Her reasoning was that I just seemed old... like I came from a time long ago. I called bullshit. There is no possible way that _I_ am anything than an ordinary woman.

    Granted I do have the occasional daydream, but that’s normal. Though they do seem to last a little too long and when I come out of them I never remember what they were about.

    Okay so, maybe I am a little strange. The only people that treat me normally are Lynnette and Cara and they’re more outlandish than me, what with Lynnette being a blonde haired blue eyed mixed girl with a questionable moral compass and Cara being my copy but Green eyed and tall. 

    Somehow I always end up the odd woman out.

    My parents are even a little uncomfortable with being near me. Don’t get me wrong; they love me as much as any parent could, what with me being given to them by some unknown man at the ripe age of three. They love me, they do, but I am **_not_ ** theirs and I am **_not_ ** right, or so they told me. I am in no way shape or form salty about that. 

    Nope.

    Also, there might be the fact that I am colored a little atypically. I mean, I have deep red hair, like a fire truck. My eyes are this bright cerulean color, but the real kicker is that my skin has a cinnamony mocha tint to it, so I’m almost sure that I’m black. I have no real way of knowing since there are no official records of my birth parents. But to many people, I look like a short black woman with an eccentric dye job and spooky eyes.

    But apparently, that’s odd. When I was in basic training, back when I first joined the Army, they told me that I had to dye my hair to a more “natural” color and that I had to stop wearing color contacts. I told them that it was my natural hair and eye color, but they didn’t believe me. To prove it, I poked myself in the eye with my finger and shaved all my hair off. When it started growing back two weeks later, it came back flaming red. What do you know? To this day, seven fucking years later, I still have to prove that this is my natural hair and eye color. When I PCS to a new duty station, I have to give a copy of my medical files stating that my hair and eye color are my own. Now that is annoying. 

    Whatever, on with the story.

**_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_There Be Dragons!_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_**

 

_Today was a very good day_ , was the mantra that Nyx kept repeating in her head. It was her birthday, her two best friends in the whole world were in town to celebrate with her, and she had recently been picked up for Staff Sergeant. Things seemed to be looking up. Now she’s on her way to have dinner in her barracks room with her friends.

    She got drinks and all of their favorite foods, but mostly alcohol and a lot of Vanilla Coke. Nyx **_loves_ ** Vanilla Coke. When she got to her room, Cara was already there baring gifts. Gifts meaning more alcohol and food, more so than the bizarre mirror thing that was standing next to her. The ramen is from Lynnette and Nyx’s favorite authentic Japanese ramen shop to be exact. And the freakish mirror came from God knows where on Cara’s travels. They go inside and start setting the food and drinks out on the small card table the Nyx bought on a whim one day. Cara sets the mirror up against the wall beside the computer desk. Nyx looks at it quizzically.

    “What’s that mirror for?” she inquires with mild fascination.

    “Oh this thing,” Cara says coyly with a chuckle, “This is one of your gifts. It’s called an Eluvian. I’ll tell you all about it when Lynnette gets here,” She pauses, “Probably best that you not look into it for too long. In fact, take this sheet and cover the glass.”

    “Oookaaay,” Nyx says confused, but indulgently to Cara. She wasn’t really sure why Cara wanted it covered, but she did it anyway. _She has been away for a long time in England,_ Nyx thought, _that’s probably one of those mystifying English quirks._ It was an English quirk alright. They began joking catching up like friends are wont to do when kept apart for a long time, while they waited for Lynette to arrive. It wouldn’t be long now. Nyx wondered what was taking her so long.

    Meanwhile, Lynette has run into a slight problem. The gift. The _fucking gift_. She had spent the whole last month trying to figure out just what she was going to get Nyx for her birthday, it wasn’t like she didn’t have an idea… alright, that was exactly what that was, but that was beside the point. Lynette wanted this birthday to be important, freaking Cara was supposed to be coming back and it would be the first time in a long time since they had all been together, what with the schedules they all had.

    The blonde haired woman found herself pacing outside of Nyx’s barracks room for a little while. “Fuck it, what am I sitting here worrying for. I could have gotten her a thong and she would have laughed.” The blonde paused, “Damnit!” With that, she knocked on the door having no intention of running face first into it for a fifth time, _seriously who locks their doors anyway._

**_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_There Be Dragons!_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_**

 

    “It has been ages since we have all been together!” The blonde laughed as she swung her arms around the two females, unsure of really what else one would do under this situation. Like Nyx, Lynette wasn’t exactly normal per se, she kept mostly to herself and liked to draw when she was with groups of people. Socializing was easy for her because all she had to do was put on the mask and bam, done complete! She absolutely loved these two women because that whole process was unnecessary since for some unknown reason they enjoyed her for who she was. Not that she was complaining of course.

    “I say we start drinking and _you,_ ” she points to Cara, “explain what this creepy mirror is.” Cara rolled her eyes at the remark and shoved Lynnette to the side as she walked over toward the birthday girl in question. Lynette rolled her eyes but stepped aside to allow her easier access to Nyx as Lynette made her way over to the alcohol pouring herself a hearty glass.

    “I have a present for you, Nyx. Well actually, it’s for all of us and the mirror is called an Eluvian. As I told Nyx earlier all will be explained in due time,” Intrigued Lynette downed her drink with a cringe as the warm liquid shifted down her throat before bringing over the others drinks. In passing, she rips the sheet protecting the mirror off and proceeds on her way towards her girls. She shoved the drinks to the two women before swiping the item from Cara and brought it up over her head, for better lighting of course.

    “Oooh, what’s this?” She brought the book down and gave it a questioning glance, “It’s so old. You brought her an old book. Laame~” The blonde shoved the books into Nyx’s hands not liking the way her head was starting to throb a bit. _Stupid alcohol. Stupid book._ The woman thought as she poured herself another drink, ignoring Cara’s glare all the while choosing to stare into the mirror instead. _Stupid bloody creepy ass mirror. I_ **_loathe_ ** _mirrors!_

    Nyx scrambled to catch the book and set it on the nearby computer desk, all the while giving the blonde a reproachful look. “Jesus, Lynny, It’s _old_ , please be careful,” she does a double take looking at the women with concern in her eyes.

    “Dude, are you okay?” The blonde had this dazed look on her face, and she was swaying a little. The redhead shook her head in confusion. Lynnette only had one drink, so she couldn't be drunk.

    Cara noticed as well and with a strange look on her face said, “It, uh, might be best that we don’t touch it with our bare hands.”

    “Why, Cara… please don’t tell me that this is carrying some sort of disease. It is isn’t it?” Lynnette questioned her. And before Cara can even get her mouth open to answer her, she begins to rant. “Luuux… I’m only 22. I haven’t lived yet! I can’t die now. Think of all the things I could be doing… All of the thing I want to do! You are so cruel.” Lynette crossed her arms, “And if I do die I am so haunting your ass.”

    “If you would please allow me to speak I would explain that there is not and disease of any sort on it. Don’t be so dramatic,” Cara said in her crisp English accent. If one listened closely, one would hear her abject frustration with her friend.

    Nyx rolls her eyes at their antics. They always seemed to find something to fight about. It was a wonder to outsiders how they could be friends. But Nyx knew that it was just something akin to sibling rivalry. The woman turned her attention back to the book that seemed to be waiting patiently for them. Slowly, like static on an old radio being turned up, whispers at the back of her mind began seeping through the white noise.

    At first, she had no clue where it was coming from, then she realized that the whispers arose from the book like smoke from a fire, twisting and twirling through the air and slithering into her ears. A shiver ran down her spine and sweat began to collect at her brow. The redhead felt the need to…well, read it, to succumb to the beckoning call of the voices. She didn't know what the voices were saying, just that she needed to listen. The whispers gave her the creeps, but somehow she knew that they weren't going to harm her or her friends. There was something important about that book and she felt that soon they would all know.

    At first, she hadn’t thought too much about it, she had been content with drinking her drink and allowing the other two to fawn over the book. Then it got quiet and quiet was most definitely usual when it came to the three of them, but it felt out of place to the blonde. Her attention originally fell on Cara whose attention was on Nyx. Frowning the youngest of the three looked at the recently turned twenty-three-year-old and she wasn’t too sure she liked what she was seeing “Hey, Nyx is everything alright?” Cara beat her to the question as the blonde drew nearer.

    When there was no response Lynette walked over and shook her fellow comrade on the shoulders. “Hey, birthday girl. Would you fail a UA right now? Cause I think you would.”

    When there was still no response, Cara edged closer to Nyx searched for what was holding her attention. Then it hit her, the _book_. Cara sighed and decided that now was the time to explain just what was going on and why she had given this book to them. Just as she was readying herself to snap Nyx out of the trance, Lynnette butted in.

    “Cara, she’s starting to freak me out. I don’t like this,” Lynnette said with uncertainty and she hated being uncertain.

    “It’s fine,” Cara uttered, “It’s about time that I told you why I brought this to you,” Cara thought about how she would go about this. She settled on the gentle approach because it was best to go about these things with a bit of finesse and not brute force. At least not yet. She gently turned Nyx’s face away from the book, and crooned, “Nyx, darling, come back to us.” When that didn’t work she said, “Come now I know that you can hear me,” Still no response. _Ah yes, brute force it is,_ she mused before winding back and slapping Nyx with great vim and vigor across the face.

    “What the hell!” exclaimed Lynnette, “Are you trying to kill her?!”

    “Holy shit! Ow! What the hell was that for, dude?!” Of course a slap to the face full-force, no holds barred is what does the trick. Like was stated before Nyx is odd.

    “Excuse me, but did it or did it not work?” Cara asked coolly, arms crossed and face filled with smugness. “I tried pulling you out gently, but as usual you are so stubborn.”

    “God you’re such a bitch,” Lynnette says with a shake of her head. This was a perfect opportunity for another argument between the two women, but before anything could come of it, Nyx stepped in a little frazzled and with a whole lot of indignation.

    “What the fuck is going on. I want an answer, right fucking now,” calmly Nyx murmured. Playtime was over and Cara knew that she was going to have to explain this and quick because from the looks of it Nyx was not going to have it and Lynette looked just about ready to burn the book.

    “First of all, I am sure you are curious as to why I left out of nowhere during middle school.”

    “So you weren’t sent away to your actual family?”

    “Yes,” Cara paused, “And no? Anyway, yes I was sent to Manchester to reunite with my family.” The two looked interested but not at the same time, it was quite a comical thing for Cara to watch. “Apparently, I am a descendant of The House of Amell. A distant Cousin or something along those lines, it gets all very confusing when you look at it.”

    “On with it.”

    “Right,” Cara cleared her throat, “Anyway outside of learning how to fit in amongst nobility, which is a pain in the rear, need I add, I had the privilege of learning a couple of things about my history.”

    “Outside of you being a Royal.” Lynette interrupted once more and this time it was Nyx who cut her off, with a hand over her mouth.

    “Shut up Lynny.”

    “Thank you. Now, apparently, there is some sort of prophecy of sorts.” Lynette rolled her eyes at that, grumbling one thing or another from behind Nyx’s hand. “You haven’t heard the good part yet. Outside of my family being royal and a pain, they do have their hands in a lot of things and apparently are well informed about… I am half tempted to say everything. The one thing they never did clear up for me is why exactly someone from their family was adopted out at a young age. The way they talked about it was dreadfully annoying, but I did overhear both Trevelyan and Mahariel names dropped on multiple occasions during my stay.” Cara paused, “Now why does that sound familiar?” Cara made her way back over to the book, “While I am unsure as to their motives behind wanting me to show the two of you, or rather the descendants of Trevelyan and Mahariel, the contents of this book at the youngest girl’s twenty-third birthday. It did give me a reason to return back and visit you.” Lynette turned her attention from the jungle green eyed Cara and glanced over at the book.

    “Does none of this sound like a load of bullshit to anyone else? Besides I’m the youngest and I haven’t turned twenty-three yet.” Lynette nodded as she grabbed Nyx’s hand and pushed it away from her face.

    “Yes, but you two will be on deployment by the time you're twenty-third birthday rolls around. Just this once my family thought it best to circumvent their rules and give these to you early,” Cara reasoned, ever the diplomat. And she had a very good point.

    “So let's open it. Yeah, no?” The blonde was up and prancing over to the book in a flash pausing only to look at her two best friends for a split moment. “I mean you say it’s not diseased and it’s not going to kill us. Outside of it being extremely old, what is there to be afraid of? Some hocus-pocus magic?” She brought her hands up and wiggled her fingers in a mocking sort of way, “What’s the worst that can happen?”

    “Famous last word anyone?” Nyx exclaimed, “Shit. Now we’re jinxed!” Cara glared at the two not liking how they were not taking this as seriously as she believed they should have been. Then again how could they? They hadn’t spent the last decade with her family learning about the lore and tales. They had instead lived out their lives and chosen a career path that while noble was questionable at best.

    “Well. I am not afraid to keep on living.” The blonde chuckled as she swung the cover open ignoring the slight shock that tickled her fingertips. She felt as if the world around her slowed down.

    “Hey, Nyxie do you understand any of this gibberish?” Lynette seemed to still be moving at normal speed as she continued to speak. “Dirthara-ma Fen’Harel ma ghilana.” Nyx’s eyes widened and filled with terror. “Ir abelas. Mala suledin nadas Na din’an sahlin.” _No,_ she thought, _No fucking way is Lynny speaking a mysterious language that I somehow understand. I’m done, I am done._

    “Lynnette, Stop!” she shouted, “You have no idea what you’re doing!” Either she wasn’t listening or couldn't understand because she kept going.

    “Dareth Shiral. Ar lasa mala revas.” With that, Lynette locked eyes with a wide-eyed Nyx and a paralyzed Cara as she finished the phrase. “Fen’Harel enasal ma ghilana. Malas amelin ne halam.”

    “Fuck,” Cara whispers as a great light blares from the mirror and a great sucking gale quite literally drags them all kicking and screaming into the Eluvian. One by one they were sucked in. They all struggle to stay in the room but to no avail. In an effort to stay together Cara grabs Nyx’s hand and Nyx catches the scruff of Lynnette’s neck.

    “You _idiot_ ,” Nyx shouts over the howling wind at Lynnette, “Look what you did! If we live through this I’m giving you a swift kick in the ass!”

    “Less talking, more holding! Save your energy!” Cara yelled, “I can barely keep hold of you!”

    “Try harder!” screamed Lynette. With hands slipping and grips weakening, the last thing they saw was the terror in each of their eyes as they were flung into different directions; then everything went black.

**Author's Note:**

> Translation of Elven stuff:  
> May you learn (curse)  
> the Dread wolf Guides you.  
> I am sorry,  
> now you must endure.  
> Your death has come.  
> Safe journey,  
> you are free (I give you your freedom.)  
> May The Dread wolf’s blessing guide you.  
> I hope you find a new name.


End file.
